Down Royal Champion Chase Legendary Winners: Don Cossack The Champion Chase at Down Royal is the first Grade 1 staying chase of the season in Ireland or Britain and the major race on the calendar at the track on the outskirts of Belfast. The race was inaugurated in 1999 and promoted to Grade 1 status in 2002 and it has developed into one of the key races in the season, a real beacon of the rising tide in the National Hunt campaign. Behemoths of the jumps game have dominated, with Paul Nicholls and Gordon Elliott currently sharing top-billing with five wins each, while Noel Meade and Henry De Bromhead are three-time winners. Don Cossack currently shares the distinction of being one of only two Cheltenham Gold Cup winners to win Down Royal's big November prize — alongside the mighty Kauto Star. Ultimate glory awaits Don Cossack The early knockings of Don Cossack's chasing career were undoubtedly a mixed bag. He won two of his first three but fell at Cheltenham in March 2014 on his maiden attempt at three miles and was only second to Holywell at Aintree the following month. The following season, 2014/15, he emerged as a key force over intermediate trips. He won four of his first five, including the John Durkan at Punchestown and a romp in the Melling Chase at Aintree as Cue Card finished 26 lengths behind in second. In between, he was only third in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham as AP McCoy gave Uxizandre a masterful ride from the front for his final winner at the Cotswolds showpiece. On his final start that season, Don Cossack won the Punchestown Gold Cup from Djakadam in fine style and his fate was now laid out as a staying chaser. Down Royal date on road to Cheltenham After easily winning a Grade 3 at Punchestown in October 2015, Don Cossack presented himself for Down Royal's big race as a 2/11 favourite a fortnight later. Bryan Cooper was the man on board, then the retained rider for Gigginstown, and it was a steering job as Rocky Creek, 2013 winner Roi Du Mee and Texas Jack failed to land any sort of blow. Onwards to Kempton at Christmas when Don Cossack was seemingly full of running when he fell at the second last, leaving Cue Card to run down Vautour in one of the great King George finishes. Who knows what might have happened had Don Cossack stood up in that Boxing Day blockbuster. The ultimate farewell awaits After his mishap at Christmas, Elliott sent him to Thurles in January and he won the Grade 2 Kinloch Brae Chase in easy fashion. He was the 9/4 favourite come Gold Cup Day at Cheltenham and his eight rivals included Djakadam, Don Poli, Carlingford Lough and Cue Card. The race changed dramatically when the King George winner crashed out, still travelling well three out. Don Cossack powered up the Cheltenham hill and gave Cooper the biggest win of his career and Elliott the only Blue Riband of his career thus far. He remains the only winner of the Down Royal feature race to also win a Cheltenham Gold Cup since Kauto Star, esteemed company indeed. After his Cheltenham win, Don Cossack never raced again. He retired from racing in January 2017 following a recurrence of a tendon injury which had prevented him from reappearing after his Gold Cup win.
